Later 8 Arrival of the Twins
Ever the diplomat even with humans when it was required, Sesshoumaru didn't just move the permanent youkai guards into the village; he asked for a consultation with the village headman and Miko first to put forward his proposal. Then he firmly put the decision to allow the guards in the headman's lap; Sesshoumaru was glad however that Inuyasha was not at the meeting as he would have thrown a temper tantrum at some of his brother's words.
The Daiyoukai first thanked them for their forbearance when Inuyasha had got angry and he spoke of the concern he'd had, considering the pup was his responsibility as his little brother. It had been Sesshoumaru's fault that the child had felt too restrained with the responsibility laid upon him. In light of this fact Sesshoumaru would like to leave two guards so that Inuyasha could leave the environs of the village without reducing its protection.
He heavily stressed the protective aspect for the village elder, along with the fact that Inuyasha wasn't more than an errant child sometimes. Sesshoumaru would rather they saw the hanyou as such than as a dangerous beast; neither was completely accurate, but the former was far nearer the truth. He also made it perfectly clear that should his solution not be favourable then he would understand and of course be happy to remove Inuyasha and Rin back to the Western Lands and take their protection away.
The village elders were far from stupid and could see all the advantages of Sesshoumaru's plans and it was easy to see in the light of the older brother's confidence and demeanour that he would be able to keep the younger in check. So amid good humoured jests about what the lord should do to his quick tempered brother should the need arise, the deal was struck. Kaede who had not really needed to participate didn't fail to notice the slight smirk his Lordship had on his face, but she was unafraid of it; Sesshoumaru would keep Inuyasha and the village safe.
Then it was time for him to visit with the monk and slayer. After making sure that Inuyasha was not in the immediate area, Sesshoumaru went inside the hut where Sango had prepared tea. As usual without any preamble, he got straight to the point;
"It will be better for you to fully understand that This Sesshoumaru can detect any lies or evasions."
"Lord Sesshoumaru, please just voice your concerns; neither Sango nor myself shall speak falsely to you."
"I do not wish this conversation to come to Inuyasha's ears."
"That too is understood."
"My brother harbours a secret fear that when your children arrive, he will be made unwelcome in your home and perhaps be driven from the village. This Sesshoumaru wishes to know if such fears are unfounded." He could tell by the stunned look on the couple's faces that they had never even thought of such actions. The woman was close to tears at such an idea but the monk was shrewd and more worldly wise.
"How could he ever think such a thing of us…?" Sango whispered.
"Come now slayer, you must have come across such monstrosities as hanyou being driven out of human villages before in your lifetime, or at least in your education. Did you never consider that most of the reasons for such treatment were bigoted? I use the derogatory term because that is how my brother has been seen for most of his life." Now Sango showed guilt, but Miroku was calm as he spoke;
"Our poor friend; to feel he has not this trust in us. But he has lived a longer time than us and we have not been together long enough I suppose, to get rid of all his fears."
"He is not without experience apparently in this matter. It happened before when friends had children. But I am under the impression that the prior incident involved someone he only casually knew, unlike you two."
"Oh Inuyasha, will he ever find peace and acceptance he can fully trust in his heart?" Sango bemoaned.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, I can honestly promise you that Inuyasha will always be welcome wherever Sango and I are. We already consider him part of our family." Miroku's statement was firm and Sango affirmed it with a nod of her head and the honesty in her eyes. Sesshoumaru was content with their responses. But Miroku had a question for the youkai Lord;
"If we had answered differently what would you have done?"
"You fear my displeasure or revenge? I would merely have accepted it as a typically disloyal human decision and removed both of my pups to the safety of the West."
"Good, that means you too care for him now; Inuyasha should eventually feel safe and hopefully happy." Miroku smiled and Sesshoumaru also had to smile at the guile of the silver tongued monk.
"You have the mind of a lawyer monk, but be careful how you use it."
"How can we reassure Inuyasha if we are not to mention this conversation?"
"I am sure that with your powers of persuasion Monk, you will find a way to reassure him; so long as I am not mentioned."
"Of course and thank you for confiding in us; Inuyasha is not always his own best friend when it comes to his fears. He can easily be misunderstood." Miroku bowed to the Lord as he left but Sesshoumaru smirked, Inuyasha was not easily misunderstood at all to one who knew him; the pup was as clear as crystal to his brother.
When Sesshoumaru had gone, Sango and Miroku spoke of his visit and what had been discussed and they came to the conclusion that Inuyasha would not be convinced by words alone; he would have to be shown love through their actions and only time would prove that to him. But they would be more alert to signs of withdrawal and understand when he might say or do things to his own detriment recognising the core reason for his fears.
Two days later a pair of Inu Youkai guards appeared and presented themselves to the headman. They were strong but had kindly faces and they had been handpicked by Sesshoumaru himself. They had their orders; to watch out primarily for Rin if Inuyasha wanted to leave, but also to keep the perimeters of the village protected. To protect themselves they were not to enter huts alone and to be aware of the interest from village maidens; and they must not engage the affections of any humans. Be friendly but aloof was the general gist of their orders.
Of course there was a general introduction to the human villagers in the village square before the guards melted away into the forest. Inuyasha took quick glances at the two; he remembered them as ones who had sometimes played with a lonely little hanyou in the Palace of the West when Inuyasha had accompanied his brother. It made his heart a little warmer to think that it would not have been coincidence that Sesshoumaru had chosen them; his brother wanted Inuyasha to be comfortable with the guards.
They acknowledged Inuyasha's recognition with a smile and a wave at him; one even asked him if he still liked to play 'ball'. Inuyasha stunned them when he pulled out the old red ball and threw it, watching the guard catch and return it as he'd done when Inuyasha was a small pup. But the tall Inu Youkai was saddened to think on the reasons why and how precious and significant the ball was to the hanyou, if the pup was still treasuring it after all these years.
As the months progressed, Inuyasha was thankful for the freedom he now had just to get away and run or sulk or hunt whenever he felt like it. Namely whenever he and Miroku returned from a village loaded with food or goods exchanged for their services. Miroku and Sango had very fond reunions and even though it was not always overtly sexual because of her pregnancy, it was usually vocal and loving. Miroku couldn't wait to become a father and he was always telling Sango how beautiful she looked as she waddled around with his children in her belly.
She carried well however, her athletic lifestyle and general health were excellent, especially for the times and held her in good stead during her pregnancy; that and the fact she was not just barely out of childhood as the new mothers often were. But like all women she was conscious of being felt unattractive and Miroku always made sure she knew he loved her and remembered that she was carrying his offspring.
He would try to bring her a small gift whenever he had to leave for more than a few days; something pretty and unessential to show her that he had missed her. Then as time neared for the twins to be born and Sango got nervous when he was gone, Inuyasha went and did the work alone; but he brought the rewards back to Miroku saving only a small amount for his own needs which had always been few.
Latterly Inuyasha had built a small hut near to the well, roughly on the site of the shrine of the future; not that he told anyone that. He would retreat to this place at night when the others all closed their doors. He could not be near Sango and Miroku too often, neither could he remain in the hut with the two women all of the time and he was very lonely; even though sometimes the two youkai guards would visit and stay and talk with him.
One night he was standing overlooking the sleeping village from the high hill above it as he often did and thought about the irony that was his life. He had hunted well that day and provided meat for Sango and Kaede; the skin would also come in handy for something or the other. Then he had also been informed to commend himself for his good behaviour to his master the monk, for a job well done. He had tried to laugh with Miroku over the misunderstanding, but it hadn't quite worked and Miroku was well aware that Inuyasha still felt affronted by the mistake.
It seemed that once again he was just living to serve everyone else; he had stopped being Sesshoumaru's punching bag or whipping boy, in order to be a guard dog or servant. But he wouldn't change that, he couldn't run away and leave them all, they were his friends and didn't mean for him to feel that way. Besides they had all helped him when he needed it, that's what friends did; but he wished that just once life had given him what he wanted and allowed him his Kagome.
Most evenings Rin would come to the hut along with a meal prepared for him and sometimes they would sit and chat outside on the threshold. They kept one another company, he reminded her of her absent Lord and she reminded him of his mother; not that he would ever let that slip, Sesshoumaru hated Izayoi and Inuyasha would not risk him comparing the little girl to the woman who stole his father.
But she was; very like in fact, both were kind and had understanding eyes and looked at him with a deep natural love that made him feel protected and cared for. Rin was not really like Kagome, she was far too proper and a product of her time and upbringing; whereas Kagome was more free and uninhibited, a product of her time. Although Rin was far from being a prisoner, she was just quieter by nature, although with a hidden well of mischief that was again very like his mother who had enjoyed his pranks. Thinking on it, he thought the girls would have balanced well together and been friends; he was sure that Izayoi would have liked Kagome too.
But that line of thinking got him nowhere fast, except miserable when he realised that he had lost them both and even Rin, who he was growing fond of despite his earlier jealousy, was not his. He seemed to live his experiences through a vicarious and bizarre mixture of other lives. Sometimes the melancholy would steal over him as dusk approached and Rin with her perceptive sight would beg to be allowed to pet his ears.
Often now he would let her, it seemed to give pleasure to the child and he would lean into the careful fingers that never pulled or tweaked too hard; sometimes he would purr and she would giggle. Sesshoumaru though was no fool; he had seen how Inuyasha would allow the girl the familiarities that he had enjoyed whenever his mother petted him, and besides, he remembered Izayoi with the memories of an almost adult against those of the small child.
It didn't upset him though, whatever he had felt personally for his father's concubine; the human princess had had very ladylike manners and it wouldn't surprise him at all had she and Rin been distantly related, having come from the same area of the country. Perhaps as time went by, Inuyasha and Rin would become closer and when old enough she might fill the emptiness Kagome had left in Inuyasha's heart.
Whatever, it would be a long time yet before that happened, even given the fact that humans grew so much faster than youkai. Rin was only a young girl not yet even on the border of womanhood at least not for a couple of years. Neither did Inuyasha see her as anything more than a little girl who resembled his deceased mother, in her care for him, and knowing the pup he probably wouldn't get past that in any case.
One evening and into the early night, Inuyasha sat with a nervous Miroku and listened to the sounds inside the hut where Kaede and Rin were aiding Sango bring to birth her twins. Inuyasha's ears were well laid back at the sounds and scents issuing forth and Miroku's knuckles were white where he gripped onto his elbows. Inuyasha already knew that the twins were girls and probably identical as he could only discern the same scent. Their more individual scents would occur as the girls grew and became more separate in the things they did.
The hanyou had not told either monk or slayer their babies' gender, the couple had wanted a surprise; but he could reassure Miroku that the labour although intense, was progressing well and the scent of sickness or death was not in the air. The reassurances were welcome but didn't stop the monk's nerves and worry, especially when a loud yell followed by a high wail announced the arrival of the first baby.
Twenty minutes later after a repeat of the wail, the second child was born and ten minutes after that, Miroku was invited in to see and claim his daughters, after making sure that his wife was only very tired and not dying as he had privately always feared. Kaede stayed within the hut, but Rin was soon outside and took Inuyasha's hand in her own to lead him back to the Miko's home and some stew that had been left to cook.
She handed Inuyasha a bowl and helped herself to one and then answered his questions about the girls. They were identical and a good size, there should be no problem in their survival and everything went well with Sango. Soon they were joined by Miroku; Kaede was going to stay until she was sure Sango had recovered sufficiently from the birth before she finally allowed Miroku to stay with his new family.
Miroku had several bottles of sake to share and many of the village men came by to celebrate the new arrivals with him. Inuyasha had one cup but that was enough, however he had agreed to keep the monk company and hear all about the delights of becoming a father. Miroku too had never really thought this would happen to him, he feared the Kazaana would take his life; it was only recently that he had ever dared to hope.
Kaede didn't come back until the morning and Miroku went back stone cold sober into his hut that now housed his wife and children. By the afternoon, visitors had started to pop their heads in to say hello and congratulations and to leave their small tokens as gifts for the babies. Then in the evening it had all calmed down and after Sango and the girls were rested, there was a tentative knock on the screen door and Inuyasha called out.
He was welcomed in by Miroku and gave over his gift of the soft rabbit fur cloaks. Both Sango and Miroku were speechless; the gift was more than generous, both knew the thought and planning it must have taken for Inuyasha to procure such presents. Sango swallowed her sorrow for her friend and blamed the watery eyes on her hormones, as Miroku drew him in to the warm hut interior so that he might see the babies.
Inuyasha was amazed at the tiny infants and gasped when Miroku offered him to hold one of them. He looked with astonishment that the monk would trust him with his clawed hands to hold such a precious bundle. But Miroku insisted and Inuyasha took his first real look at a human baby and was in awe of the tiny fingers and other features. Soon he was holding both girls and unknowingly setting a pattern for years to come.
"Congratulations Uncle Yasha; I have you to thank as well as my beautiful Sango for this gift."
"Uncle…Uncle Yasha?
"Yes Inuyasha; Miroku speaks for me as well, without you we would never have defeated Naraku and reached this stage of our lives. Not only that, you kept us going in so many ways; I never gave in because of your strength."
"You are always welcome in this family Inuyasha; our daughters and any other children shall all know and love you." Miroku had rarely sounded so sincere and Inuyasha was overwhelmed, he had already fallen in love with the twins who stayed quiet and comfortable in his arms. But he could see it was late for the new family and didn't want to outstay his welcome, so he handed the girls back and bid them all goodnight and went to Goshinboku to think.
He was surprised to find Sesshoumaru sitting at the base of the tree resting his back against the trunk.
"You come to this place often Inuyasha, and you have your hut not far from here; I came sometimes when you were sealed, I could not free you."
"You tried to free me?"
"I did; but why do you still find comfort in the tree that was your prison?"
"I never felt I was imprisoned, the tree looked after me in a way but…there was one time when Kagome left here and wasn't going to come back…we connected and spoke right here, the tree is still standing in her time and I think it allowed us to reach across the time…I have tried to get to do it again so much, but it never has… tell me Sessh, do you ever doubt one day you will have your heir? Or a woman who loves you, or do you care if she does?"
By now tears were unstoppable and Inuyasha looked away; he was ashamed in front of his brother but he couldn't help them. His sense of loss not just of Kagome but his pups and his future was overwhelming in the light of the day's events. Holding Miroku's babies was the final straw for his poor heart which was breaking all over again.
This time Sesshoumaru didn't hesitate and put his arms round his grieving brother and pulled him to his chest. There was no word of derision, just an understanding of the situation; then the use of a word, a term of endearment Inuyasha had not heard since his mother was alive;
"Do not weep Puppy; This Sesshoumaru promises that one day things will work out for you."
TBC